Fla. housing market: Hurricane Irma impacts Sept sales, data

ORLANDO, Fla. – Oct. 20, 2017 – Hurricane Irma, which made landfall in the Keys on Sept. 10 and continued up the state’s west coast, affected Florida’s housing market data in September, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Fewer sales, pending sales and new listings were reported, though median prices rose as a still-tight inventory of for-sale homes remained the norm in many areas. Sales of single-family homes statewide totaled 18,030 last month, down 20.4 percent compared to September 2016.

«The impact from Hurricane Irma was wide-ranging across Florida, though the devastation and damage was certainly greater in some areas, such as the Keys and in Naples,» said 2017 Florida Realtors President Maria Wells, broker-owner with Lifestyle Realty Group in Stuart. «But there were other consequences from Irma that disrupted the state’s economy and housing market as people took needed time for hurricane preparations and one of the largest evacuations in Florida’s history. Once Irma passed over the state, it took days or even longer to restore power to many areas, residents had to return from evacuations, and there was still debris cleanup, insurance claims and other issues to handle in the hurricane’s aftermath.

«It’s not surprising that Hurricane Irma had a negative impact on existing home and condominium sales across most local markets in September – but that’s a normal occurrence after a hurricane. To understand their housing market conditions, especially in times like this, consumers should work with a local Realtor, who can guide them through the complicated process of buying or selling a home.»

The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes last month was $239,900, up 7.6 percent from the previous year, according to data from Florida Realtors Research department in partnership with local Realtor boards/associations. Thestatewide median price for townhouse-condo properties in September was $173,000, up 8.1 percent over the year-ago figure. September was the 70th month-in-a-row that statewide median prices for both sectors rose year-over-year. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less.

According to the National Association of Realtors®(NAR), the national median sales price for existing single-family homes in August 2017 was $, up 5.6 percent from the previous year; the national median existing condo price was $$565,330; in Massachusetts, it was $398,125; in Maryland, it was $287,816; and in New York, it was $270,000.

«Perhaps the most important thing to understand about this month’s sales numbers is that these declines in real estate activity are not in any way indicative of a decline in the demand for housing going forward, or any other structural change in Florida’s housing market dynamics, for that matter,» said Florida Realtors®Chief Economist Dr. Brad O’Connor.<span< p=»»></span<>

Inventory remained constrained in September with a 3.8-months’ supply for single-family homes and a 5.5-months’ supply for townhouse-condo properties, according to Florida Realtors.

According to Freddie Mac, the interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.81 percent in September 2017; it averaged 3.46 percent during the same month a year earlier.